Method and Apparatus for Cementing a Liner in a Borehole Using a Tubular Member Having an Obstruction

ABSTRACT

An open hole is drilled with coiled tubing that has an electric line. At the conclusion of drilling the drilling bottom hole assembly is removed and a liner running tool is connected between the coiled tubing and the liner. The electric line remains in the coiled tubing but spacers can be added to keep the lower end of the electric line away from the running tool. A wiper plug has a passage therethrough and a movable stinger that can hold open a pair of flapper valves. The liner is released from the running tool and cement is delivered through the stinger with a bit of excess that is above the running tool. The lifting of the stinger with the coiled tubing closes the flappers and allows circulation out of excess cement. Setting down on the coiled tubing allows a seal to re-engage in the deployment sleeve, allowing pressure to be placed against the wiper plug, such that it can be launched to displace the remaining cement within the liner into the annulus around the liner.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/640,942, filed Dec. 17, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/203,567, filed Dec. 23, 2008, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/637,105, filed Dec. 14, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/122,914, Dec. 16, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cementing a liner in place in an open borehole using a tubular member having an obstruction in the tubular member where cement is passed through the tubular member into the liner and through the liner into an annular space surrounding the liner to position the liner in the open borehole. More particularly the invention relates to liner cementing of a well drilled with electric line coiled tubing using the same coiled tubing as was used to drill the well.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the drilling and completion of boreholes from a wellbore it is necessary to cement liners in place in the boreholes to enable the completion of the well for the production of fluids from the subterranean formation penetrated by the borehole. The boreholes may be lateral wells drilled from a wellbore using a whipstock at any desired angle or orientation or they may be wells which extend below the bottom of the well portion drilled by conventional means. Tubular members, such as drillpipe and coiled tubing are widely used for drilling such boreholes.

Tubular members can be used to cement a liner in place in a borehole. Typically the cement is injected through the tubular member into the liner with the cement then passing out of the end of the liner at the end of the liner and then into the annulus between the outside of the liner and the inside of the borehole. This places cement around the liner so that perforation of the formation and the like can be accomplished as well as other operations if desirable.

Typically the liner may be maintained in a central position in the borehole by the use of centralizers, as known to those skilled in the art. In such completions, the cement is passed downwardly through the tubular member and through a liner wiper plug having an opening and a passage therethrough so as to inject the cement into the liner and into the annular space around the outside of the liner and the inside of the borehole.

As the cement is injected, a cement cleanout fluid is used to push a tubular member wiper dart, which separates the cement from the cement cleanout fluid, through the tubular member downwardly and into the liner. When the cement cleanout fluid has pushed the tubular member wiper dart into the liner wiper plug, the tubular member wiper dart contacts and plugs the opening in the liner wiper plug and the combined dart/plug becomes impermeable to fluid flow into the liner, thereby resulting in the dart/plug combination being pushed through the liner and forcing the cement in the liner to its toe end and then into the annular space around the liner. The cleanout fluid is separated from the cement by the combined wiper dart and liner wiper plug. The cement cleanout fluid may be pushed through the tubular member by drilling mud or any other suitable liquid. This is a commonly used procedure to cement liners in place in subterranean boreholes and the like. Unfortunately this procedure is not suitable for use with a tubular member containing an obstruction, since the obstruction inhibits or otherwise prohibits travel of the tubular member wiper dart.

Frequently coiled tubing (a tubular member) including a wire, cable or a bundle of wires, is used for drilling lateral boreholes or other operations within the wellbore. It will be immediately apparent that the procedure just discussed is not effective to cement liners in wells using a tubular member, including a wire, since the wire makes it impossible to pass the tubular member wiper dart through the tubular member. Similarly drillpipe, which is also a suitable tubular member, is not effective when the drillpipe includes an obstruction which makes it impossible to use a drillpipe member wiper dart.

Accordingly, when tubular member drilling techniques are used it has been necessary to change out the tubular member containing the wire for a tubular member containing no wire prior to cementing liners into place. This has been a necessary operation and can be quite expensive and time consuming. The cost to make this exchange has been estimated to typically run in the neighborhood of $100,000 per exchange.

One way a wellbore can be drilled is to use a downhole motor supported by coiled tubing. A drill bit is powered by the downhole motor and flow through the coiled tubing operates the motor. Part of the bottom hole assembly includes known tools to steer the bit so that the well is drilled with the desired orientation. The communication between the bottom hole assembly (BHA) and the surface takes place through an electric line inside the coiled tubing. After the well was drilled to the target depth, the BHA was removed with reeling in the coiled tubing and a separate coil of coiled tubing without an electric line was connected to a liner to be run in to hole bottom and then cemented.

The reason that two separate coils were required was that the coil used for drilling had the electric line in it and when it came time to displace cement that had to go through the coiled tubing a wiper plug that was typically used for cement displacement could not go down the coiled tubing because the electric line was in it. To get around this problem in the past, a separate coiled tubing reel was kept at the surface of the well so that at the conclusion of the drilling operation the reel of coiled tubing without the electric line could be deployed along with a liner running tool so that the liner could be delivered to hole bottom. Once on bottom the liner was released but remained in a sealed relation to the running tool so that cement could be delivered in the required volume into the liner. The liner had a cementing shoe on bottom. Typically, the liner had a wiper plug on top with a passage through it through which the cement was delivered. After delivery of a measured volume of cement a dart would be launched to land in the wiper plug and pressure was built up to launch the wiper plug to land it just above the cement shoe at the liner bottom. This would push all the cement into the annular space surrounding the liner. The coiled tubing could then be released from the liner and the excess cement circulated out. The coiled tubing would then be coiled up on the reel at the surface. While this procedure got the job done it was expensive to keep two coiled tubing reels at the well site and the present invention addresses a way to get the same job done without employing the second coiled tubing assembly. It can also provide an assurance that uncontaminated cement is delivered to the annulus around the liner to be cemented and a way to remove an excess amount of barrier cement from the coiled tubing to insure its continuing functionality for other jobs.

Accordingly a continuing effort has been made to discover ways of cementing liners in boreholes using tubular members containing obstructions without changing out the tubular members containing obstructions. These and other aspects of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a review of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the associated drawings while recognizing that the full scope of the invention is to be determined by the literal and equivalent scope of the attached claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An open hole is drilled with coiled tubing that has an electric line. At the conclusion of drilling the drilling bottom hole assembly is removed and a liner running tool is connected between the coiled tubing and the liner. The electric line remains in the coiled tubing but spacers can be added to keep the lower end of the electric line away from the running tool. A wiper plug has a passage therethrough and a movable stinger that can hold open a pair of flapper valves. The liner is released from the running tool and cement is delivered through the stinger with a bit of excess that is above the running tool. The lifting of the stinger with the coiled tubing closes the flappers and allows circulation out of excess cement. Setting down on the coiled tubing allows a seal to re-engage in the deployment sleeve, allowing pressure to be placed against the wiper plug, such that it can be launched to displace the remaining cement within the liner into the annulus around the liner.

According to the present invention, a method has been found for cementing a liner having a (heel) top end and a (toe) bottom end positioned in an open borehole extending from a wellbore produced by drilling with a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the method comprising:

-   -   injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member;     -   passing a cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to         move the cement through the tubular member;     -   the cement and cement cleanout fluid forming a cement cleanout         fluid/contaminated cement fluid interface material, to a         selected distance upstream from the top end of the liner;     -   stopping injection before any cement cleanout fluid/contaminated         cement enters the liner;     -   closing the flow path of fluids down the liner at the top end of         the liner at or near the liner wiper plug;     -   discharging the cement and cement contaminated by the cement         cleanout fluid remaining in the tubular member above the liner         wiper plug into an annular space between an outer surface of the         tubular member and inner surface of the wellbore above the top         of the liner;     -   discharging additional cement cleanout fluid from the tubular         member to move contaminated cement further up the annulus;     -   shutting off flow to the annulus,     -   releasing the liner wiper plug;     -   resuming flow down the liner by passing fluid through the         tubular member to push the liner wiper plug to the toe end of         liner; and     -   reestablishing flow to the annulus above the top of the liner so         additional fluid passed by the tubular member can fully remove         contaminated cement from wellbore.

The invention in another aspect is directed to a method for cementing a liner in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the cement being supplied through the tubular member, the method comprising:

-   -   positioning a liner in the open borehole, the liner extending         from a toe end of the liner near a toe end of the open borehole         to a deployment sleeve being positioned on a top end of the         liner and located within casing or production tubing, the         deployment sleeve being adapted to matingly connect to a liner         running tool, the liner running tool including an extension         having a passageway through the liner running tool and the         extension and a liner wiper plug having an opening extending         therethrough with the extension extending through the opening, a         cover biased to cover the opening when the extension is         withdrawn and a releasable retaining apparatus adapted to         releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected position in         the liner;     -   positioning the liner running tool in fluid communication with         the deployment sleeve;     -   injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member and         the liner running tool in a selected amount greater than         required to fill an annular space between an outside of the         liner and the inside of the open borehole and to a level above         the deployment sleeve;     -   injecting a cement cleanout fluid in contact with the cement         through the tubular member in an amount sufficient to displace         the selected amount of cement into the liner and the annular         space outside the liner;     -   stopping injection of the cement cleanout fluid prior to         injecting cement cleanout fluid through the liner wiper plug,     -   removing the liner running tool to a position above the         deployment sleeve,     -   withdrawing the extension from the liner wiper plug,     -   closing the cover and passing additional cement cleanout fluid         through the passageway to pass excess cement and cement         contaminated with cement cleanout fluid up the wellbore and         outside the tubular member;     -   retracting the extension to a suitable length to permit         positioning the liner running tool in the deployment sleeve and         releasing the liner wiper plug;     -   injecting additional cement cleanout fluid through the liner         running tool to move the liner wiper plug to the toe end of the         liner and fill the liner upstream of the liner wiper plug with         cement cleanout fluid; and,     -   releasing the liner running tool from the deployment sleeve and         continuing to inject additional cement cleanout fluid to move         contaminated cement up the wellbore outside the tubular member.

The invention also is directed to an apparatus for cementing a liner in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member. The apparatus comprises:

-   -   a liner running tool adapted to be run down the wellbore on the         tubular member and including a body configured for mating         connection to the liner, the body including an extension having         a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension to         permit fluid flow through the liner running tool;     -   a liner wiper plug having an opening extending therethrough and         adapted to receive the extension of the body extending through         the opening on the liner wiper plug,     -   a cover positioned on the liner wiper plug and adapted to cover         the opening on the liner wiper plug when the extension of the         body is withdrawn from the opening and     -   a releasable retaining apparatus for the liner wiper plug and         adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected         position in the liner.

In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for cementing a liner having a (heel) top end and a (toe) bottom end in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore produced by drilling with a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member. The tubular member has a discharge end fluidly connected to a passageway in a liner wiper plug positioned within the liner at the heel end of the liner such that fluids conveyed by the tubular member may be injected into the liner. The liner wiper plug has a valve operable to discontinue flow through the passageway. The tubular member and the heel end of the liner are located within the wellbore that extends upwardly such that fluids from the well may be conveyed to the earth's surface through the wellbore. The method comprises:

-   -   a) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member         and the liner wiper plug;     -   b) passing a cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to         move the cement through the tubular member such that an         interface between the cement and the cement cleanout fluid is a         selected distance upstream from the toe end of the liner;     -   c) discontinuing fluid communication between the tubular member         and both the heel end of the liner and the liner wiper plug and         closing the valve on the liner wiper plug positioned in the heel         end of the liner;     -   d) passing the cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member         to discharge the cement above the selected distance and cement         contaminated by the cement cleanout fluid from the tubular         member up the production tubing; and     -   e) reestablishing fluid communication between the tubular member         and the heel end of the liner and passing additional cement         cleanout fluid through the tubular member to pass the liner         wiper plug through the liner and thereby displace cement from         the liner into an annular space outside the liner and an inside         surface of the open borehole.

In another aspect, the invention concerns a method for cementing a liner in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having an outside surface and having at least one obstruction in the tubular member. The cement is supplied through the tubular member which is positioned within production tubing having an inside surface and extending upwardly through the wellbore such that fluids from the well may be conveyed to the earth's surface by the production tubing. The method comprises:

-   -   a) positioning a liner in the open borehole, the liner extending         from a toe end of the liner near a toe end of the open borehole         to a deployment sleeve positioned on a heel end of the liner and         located in the production tubing, the deployment sleeve being         adapted to sealingly connect to a liner running tool, the liner         running tool including an extension and having a passageway         through the liner running tool and the extension, the heel end         of the liner having a liner wiper plug with an opening therein         extending through the liner wiper plug so that fluids may be         conveyed therethrough, the extension of the liner running tool         being in fluid communication with and extending through the         opening so that fluids conveyed by the tubular member may be         conveyed through the passageway and the opening through the         liner wiper plug, the liner wiper plug having a cover biased to         cover the opening and restrict flow of fluids through the         opening when the extension is withdrawn from the opening and a         releasable retaining apparatus adapted to releasably retain the         liner wiper plug in a selected position in the liner;     -   b) positioning the liner running tool in fluid communication         with the deployment sleeve;     -   c) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member         and the liner running tool in a selected amount greater than         required to fill an annular space between an outside of the         liner and an inside of the open borehole such that cement is at         a level within the tubular member above the deployment sleeve;     -   d) injecting a cement cleanout fluid in contact with the cement         through the tubular member in an amount sufficient to displace         the selected amount of cement into the liner and the annular         space outside the liner within the open borehole;     -   e) stopping injection of the cement cleanout fluid prior to         injecting cement cleanout fluid through the liner wiper plug,     -   f) removing the liner running tool to a position above the         deployment sleeve and sufficient to release the liner running         tool from being in fluid communication with the deployment         sleeve, thereby withdrawing the extension from the liner wiper         plug and closing the cover to the opening of the liner wiper         plug;     -   g) passing additional cement cleanout fluid through the         passageway to pass excess cement and cement contaminated with         cement cleanout fluid up the wellbore within an annulus defined         by the outside surface of the tubular member and inside surface         of the production tubing;     -   h) retracting the extension to a suitable length to permit         repositioning of the liner running tool in the deployment sleeve         and reestablishing fluid communication between the liner running         tool and the deployment sleeve;     -   i) injecting additional cement cleanout fluid through the liner         running tool to move the liner wiper plug to the toe end of the         liner and fill the liner upstream of the liner wiper plug with         cement cleanout fluid; and,     -   j) releasing the liner running tool from the deployment sleeve         and continuing to inject additional cement cleanout fluid to         move contaminated cement up the wellbore within the annulus         defined by the outside surface of the tubular member and inside         surface of the production tubing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a-1 e are schematic diagrams of a prior art method for cementing a liner in place in a borehole;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a liner wiper plug and a tubular member wiper dart positioned as they are injected, with the tubular member wiper dart being positioned to couple with liner wiper plug;

FIGS. 3 a-3 h are schematic diagrams of various steps according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a method beginning with running the liner into the hole;

FIG. 5 is the view of FIG. 4 with the running tool released from the liner but still in sealing engagement to the liner;

FIG. 6 shows the view of FIG. 5 with cement delivered to a height above the running tool;

FIG. 7 is the view of FIG. 6 with the running tool picked up and the wiper plug flappers shut to allow circulation out of the excess cement with the liner isolated at the wiper plug;

FIG. 8 shows the coiled tubing set back down to seal the running tool to the liner so that the wiper plug can be launched with applied coiled tubing internal pressure.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the discussion of the Figures which follows, the same numbers will be used throughout to refer to the same or similar components. Various components are shown schematically which are otherwise considered to be well known to those skilled in the art for simplicity.

The method and apparatus of the present invention are useful with coiled tubing or other tubular members used for cementing liners in position in boreholes, such as drillpipe. For illustration, the method and apparatus are shown and discussed by reference to a coiled tubing system working through production tubing. The use of the method and apparatus is essentially the same with or without the production tubing.

In FIGS. 1 a-1 e a prior art method for cementing a liner in a borehole is shown. The first step, shown as FIG. 1 a, is the completion of a cased wellbore 10 which extends from an earth surface 12 to a subterranean formation and includes an outer casing 14, a second casing 16 and a third casing 18 supported from a casing hanger 18 a. In many instances it may not be necessary to have three separate casings and it may be necessary to have more casings. Production tubing 20 is shown having an inside surface 20 a and an outside surface 20 b. A packer 22 is shown in casing 16 and a bottom of production tubing 20 is shown at 24. It is noted that it is not necessary to have production tubing 20 for the apparatus and method. A whipstock 26 has been used to drill a lateral open hole 28 through an opening 30 in casing 18, which is typically milled through the casing using whipstock 26. Coiled tubing 34 is shown having an outside 35. A liner running tool 32 is shown attached to coiled tubing 34.

In FIG. 1 b, a jointed pipe liner 36 has been conveyed into the open hole 28 by coiled tubing 34. A liner running tool 32 and deployment sleeve 56 on a heel end of liner 36 serve to make the connection between the coiled tubing and the jointed pipe liner. A toe end 59 of liner 36 extends to near an end 61 of borehole 28. A liner wiper plug 38 is positioned beneath liner running tool 32 as shown. The smaller arrows show fluid (mud) flow in the system. Drilling mud 44 is circulated through liner running tool 32 and coiled tubing 34 into liner 36. The mud recovered is passed to recycle through a line 42 as shown.

As the cementing process is conducted, as shown in FIG. 1 c, cement 48 is passed through tubular member 34 to liner running tool 32 through liner wiper plug 38 and into liner 36 and then around the annular space surrounding liner 36 in open hole 28.

A cement cleanout fluid 50 is shown in tubular member 34 to push a coil tubing wiper dart 46 through tubular member 34 to force cement 48 downwardly through tubular member 34 and liner running tool 32. When coil tubing wiper dart 46 encounters liner wiper plug 38, it locks into position with liner wiper plug 38 and becomes blocking with respect to fluid flow through liner wiper plug 38 and into the inside of liner 36. The combined wiper dart/wiper plug will now travel together down the liner.

As shown in FIG. 1 d, the cement is then pushed by the cement cleanout fluid 50 separated from the cement 48 by the combined wiper dart/plug downwardly through the liner to ultimate discharge as shown at toe end 61 at the end of open hole 28. Cement discharged through a landing collar 58 at the toe end of the liner 36 passes upwardly through the annular space around the outside 39 of liner 36 and inside of borehole 28 and then upwardly into the production tubing through the annulus between the outside surface 35 of tubular member 34 and inside surface 20 a of production tubing 20. This results in the liner being filled with cement cleanout fluid which is unable to contact cement 48 outside liner 36 or to exit liner 36 at its toe end 59.

Flow can no longer occur down the liner because the liner wiper plug has landed in the landing collar and created a seal.

At this point, as shown in FIG. 1 e, liner running tool 32 is raised and additional cement cleanout fluid is injected to push excess cement through production tubing 20 to discharge as shown at line 42. This is normally the completion of the cementing job using a tubular member which contains no wire or other obstruction. As previously indicated, the presence of a wire or any other obstruction makes it impossible to use the coil tubing wiper dart to accomplish this process.

The cement cleanout fluid used is typically a material such as biopolymer but can be any fluid chosen by the operator. One suitable cement cleanout fluid for viscosity and suspension control in drilling operations is marketed by CP KELCO US, Inc. under the trademark BIOZAN. The term BIOZAN is identified by Hawleys Condensed Chemical Dictionary, revised by Richard J. Lewis, Sr., Van Nostrand Reinholt Company, New York, 12th Edition, page 147, as welan gum.

In FIG. 2 coil tubing wiper dart 46 is shown positioned with its lower mating guide 54 above liner wiper plug 38, which has an arcuate lower end 40 and includes polymeric wiper surfaces as shown. As shown, coil tubing wiper dart 46 mates with liner wiper plug 38 at its upper end 38 a.

In the practice of the present invention, for the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 a, a tubular member 34 (which may be coiled tubing) containing a wire 60 (or other obstruction) is used to convey the liner 36 into the open hole 28. Liner running tool 32, capable of exhausting contaminated fluids to the annulus above top of liner 36, is positioned on tubular member 34 and includes an extension 62 which runs through liner wiper plug 38. Liner wiper plug 38, with a mounting for shear pins 64, is attached to the lower portion of deployment sleeve assembly 56. A spring loaded cover 66 is attached to the upper end of liner wiper plug 38. Liner running tool 32 is releasably attached to deployment sleeve 56 which has a connector 80 on its bottom end to attach to jointed pipe liner 36. A neck or collar-type transition 37 as shown on FIG. 3 b provides a transition on the deployment sleeve 56 if the dimensions of the liner running tool 32 differ relative to those of the liner 36.

The wellbore shown in FIG. 3 a is otherwise substantially the same as that shown in FIG. 1 a. As the cement job begins, as shown in FIG. 3 b, the tubular member 34, including wire 60, which may be a single wire, a cable, a bundle of wires or the like may or may not be connected to the assembly discussed above. At this point, drilling mud 44 is being injected, as previously discussed, to pass downwardly through the liner around outside 39 of the liner and back up the production tubing by coil annulus to discharge to mud pits or the like, as shown by arrow 42.

An enlarged view of the liner running tool 32 apparatus connected to the end of tubular member 34 is shown in FIG. 3 c.

In FIG. 3 d cement injection has begun and cement is being passed through liner running tool 32 and liner wiper plug 38. The cement has partially filled liner 36 and the space around liner 36 between an outside 39 of liner 36 and the inside of open hole 28. The tubular member 34 includes an interface 70 between cement 48 and cement cleanout fluid 50. At interface 70 some mixing will occur and some of the cement will be contaminated by the cement cleanout fluid so that it will not set. Similarly, at interface 52, the cement cleanout fluid is in contact with drilling mud 44 positioned in tubular member 34, although other fluids could also be used to push the cement cleanout fluid and cement into the open borehole 28 if desired.

In FIG. 3 e the liner running tool 32 has been lifted from deployment sleeve 56 prior to injection of all of the cement past the running tool. It will be noted that upon withdrawal of extension 62 from liner wiper plug 38, spring loaded cover 66 has closed. Accordingly at this point no fluids can pass into liner 36 past liner wiper plug 38. Pumping is resumed down tubing member 34 and cement cleanout fluid 50 pushes cement contaminated with cleanout fluid 72 into the production tubing through the coil tubing annulus formed between the outside surface 35 of tubular member 34 and inside surface 20 a of production tubing 20. Further pumping down tubing member 34 places clean cement cleanout fluid 50 into the production tubing through such coil tubing annulus and moves contaminated fluid 72 up the production tubing and ultimately to discharge through line 42 to the rig pits or disposal.

In FIG. 3 f the contaminated cement 72 has been pushed up production tubing 20 through such coil annulus as previously described and liner running tool 32 has been repositioned in deployment sleeve 56. At this point, pressure is applied by increasing the pressure in coiled tubing 34 so that liner wiper plug 38 is broken free of shear pins 64 and begins to pass downwardly through liner 36.

In FIG. 3 g liner wiper plug 38 has reached toe end 59 of liner 36. All of the cement has been pushed out of liner 3 b 6 into the annular space around liner 36 and some excess cement 72 b has been pushed up to and past liner running tool 32.

At this point in FIG. 3 h, liner running tool 3 b 2 is lifted and additional cement cleanout fluid is injected. This injected fluid pushes the now contaminated excess cement 72 b and the contaminated cement 72 previously passed upwardly through production tubing 20 by the coil annulus previously described. During this operation, there is no flow in liner 36. The presence of liner wiper plug 38 ensures that no flow of cement cleanout fluid passes plug 38. The cement job is now complete.

The tubular member used has been cleaned by the passage of the cement cleanout fluid and is now ready for use to drill an additional open hole or for other purposes requiring the wire bundle in the tubular member. Typically the tubular member includes a bundle of wires or a multi-conductor cable or the like. The elimination of the tubing coil change is a significant advantage and allows for expedited operation and greatly reduced costs. The use of the present method results in efficient and effective liner cementing jobs at a fraction of the previously necessary cost.

The practice of the method is facilitated by use of an apparatus for cementing a liner in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, a body and configured for mating connection to the liner and including an extension having a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension and a liner wiper plug having an opening extending therethrough with the extension extending through the opening, a cover positioned on the liner wiper plug and adapted to cover the opening when the extension is withdrawn and a releasable retaining apparatus carried on the extension between the liner wiper plug and the body and adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected position in the liner.

The liner running tool includes a body configured for mating connection with the liner. The liner running tool contains passageways to enable the discharge of excess cement and cement contaminated with cement cleanout fluid through the sides, bottom or top of the liner running tool into the production tubing by coiled tubing annulus with or without disengaging the liner running tool. Alternatively, the liner running tool may employ a device therein operable to close the passageway therein and discontinue fluid flow therethrough, such as by a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulically-operated valve. The liner typically includes, as a portion of the liner, a deployment sleeve shown at 56 which enables the liner running tool to be configured for mating engagement to the deployment sleeve in both a sealed or unsealed configuration as shown by seals 68. The extension from the liner running tool includes a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension extends through the liner wiper plug having an opening extending therethrough with the extension extending through the opening. The apparatus also includes a cover positioned on the liner wiper plug and biased to cover the opening in the wiper plug when the extension is withdrawn and a releasable retaining apparatus carried on the extension between the liner wiper plug and the body or on the liner wiper plug.

The releasable retaining apparatus may be carried on either the extension, the liner running tool, the deployment sleeve assembly or the liner wiper plug and is adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a preselected position in the liner. As noted previously the liner typically includes a deployment sleeve on its top end. The releasable retaining apparatus typically includes a plurality of shear pins mounted so that they can be sheared by the imposition of an additional pressure at a selected level on the closed liner wiper plug. Alternatively the releasable retaining apparatus may be electronically operated. This is accomplished as shown specifically in FIG. 3 e and FIG. 3 f.

The extension is typically at least partially retracted into the body as shown at FIGS. 3 e-3 h. This retraction is necessary to allow the liner running tool 32 to move back into engagement with deployment sleeve 56 for the operation shown in FIG. 3 h.

This apparatus is uniquely adapted to the performance of the method according to embodiments as previously described. The apparatus is adapted to accomplish the downhole operations necessary to enable the use of the wire-containing tubular member to perform the cementing job. The use of the this tool is specifically adapted to performing the required steps which must be performed in the order shown in order to achieve the desired result without contaminating fluids at inappropriate times and in inappropriate locations.

The present invention as described above has enabled the use of tubular member containing at least one wire or other obstruction to accomplish cementing jobs which have previously required the use of a second tubular member containing no wire or obstruction. As mentioned previously, this is a substantial time and cost savings to oil field operations.

The movement of the liner running tool, the selection of a discharge from the liner running tool through either the top, sides or bottom of the liner running tool, the closing of the liner wiper plug, the retention and release of the liner wiper plug and other related functions shown as mechanically or hydraulically performed can also be electronically performed and may be desirably performed electronically. The mechanical and hydraulic operation has been shown herein for simplicity.

Referring to FIG. 4 the hole 100 has been drilled with coiled tubing 120 and the bottom hole assembly (BHA, not shown) has been removed in a previous trip. In one example the hole 100 can be a lateral through a window in a main bore with a tubing tail 140 extending into the bore 100. The coiled tubing 120 has electric line 160 still in it with a lower end 180 put at a distance from the running tool 200 by a few larger diameter collars 220. The running tool 200 has a flow passage 240 that has an enlarged portion 260. A stinger 280 has a through passage 300 is initially fixated with a shear pin 320. The stinger 280 has a tail pipe 340 that extends through a passage 360 in wiper plug 380. Flappers 400 and 420 are pivotally mounted to the wiper plug 380 and held open in FIG. 4 by the extension of the tail pipe 340 in passage 360. Shoulder 440 defines an upper travel stop for the stinger 280 in the enlarged portion 260.

The running tool 200 has a housing 460 that has external seals 480 to engage the liner 500 as well as a gripping mechanism 520 to engage groove 540 for run in and to selectively release from groove 540, as shown in FIG. 5 with the seals 480 still engaged. Housing 460 has a lower opening 560 through which tail pipe 340 extends for run in. The lower limit of travel for the stinger 280 is shown in FIG. 5 where the lower end of the housing 460 around the opening 560 acts as the lower travel stop. Liner 500 has a deployment sleeve 580 internally secured with wiper plug 380 pinned to it with shear pin 600 housed within an aluminum insert retained at bottom of deployment sleeve 580.

The various parts of the apparatus now having been identified, the operation of the tool will be reviewed in greater detail. In FIG. 4 the coiled tubing 100 with the electric line 160 still inside are rigged up to the liner 500 to run it to the hole bottom. Once at hole bottom, the liner 500 is released at 540 from the grip mechanism 520. This is typically done with a ball landed on a seat and pressure buildup, none of which is shown, but is a well known technique for releasing a liner from a running tool. As shown in FIG. 5 the coiled tubing 100 is lifted only enough to determine that running tool 200 has released from liner 500. Note that the seals 480 still engage the interior of the liner 500 and flappers 400 and 420 are still held open by tail pipe 340. Referring now to FIG. 3 cement 62 is delivered down the coiled tubing 10 up to a level 64. The cement fills the enlarged volume 260 and goes into the liner 500 through the tail pipe 340 and past the held open valves 400 and 420 as indicated by arrow 660. Arrows 680 indicate the direction of fluid displaced from the annulus as some of the cement goes out the bottom of the shoe (not shown) at the lower end of the liner 500. The reason extra cement is used up to a level 640 is to insure that the cement that gets beyond the flappers 400 and 420 is not contaminated by fluid 700 delivered behind the cement 620 to spot it into the FIG. 6 position. Now with the assurance that the cement below the wiper plug 380 is not contaminated, the coiled tubing 100 is lifted raising the stinger 280 and with it the tail pipe 340 above both flappers 400 and 420 so that they can be biased along their pivot axis to the closed position shown in FIG. 7. Note that the seals 480 are now out of the liner 500. Circulation through the coiled tubing 100 represented by arrows 700 removes the excess cement 720 without raising the circulation pressure to the point of breaking the shear pin 600 that retains the wiper plug 380 to the deployment sleeve 580. The cement 620 below the wiper plug 380 is isolated from the circulating fluid by the two flappers 400 and 420. Note that pin 320 holding the stinger 280 to the housing 460 has not yet been sheared. With the excess cement circulated out, FIG. 8 shows setting down weight on the coiled tubing 100 so that the running tool 200 bottoms on the deployment sleeve 580. Seals 480 go back inside liner 500 and set down weight of the coiled tubing 100 results in breaking of shear pin 320 as the tail pipe 340 lands on closed valve 400 as the running tool 200 descends moving the tailpipe 340 and stinger 280 up inside the housing 460 to its travel stop at 440. Arrow 740 represents applied pressure that will break the shear pin 600 to launch the wiper plug 380 because valves 400 and 420 are closed. Arrow 760 represents cement coming through the shoe (not shown) at the bottom of the liner 500 and into the surrounding annulus to finish the cementing job. The pressure 740 can also drive the stinger 280 to its travel stop 440. The coiled tubing 100 is now removed and the running tool 200 and the stinger 280 come out with it. The aluminum insert is subsequently milled out to allow passage of future services tools.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the coiled tubing with electric line can now do double duty. The wiper plug can have one or more valves of different designs. The excess cement delivery is optional but helps to confirm that the tail end of the cement delivered below the wiper plug is not contaminated by the fluid behind it that delivered it. Alternatively the running tool can have a ported sleeve to allow excess cement to be circulated out. In broad terms the invention allows the reuse of electric line coiled tubing to cement after the same coiled tubing is used to make the hole. This saves the operator significant sums of money by not needing a second coiled tubing reel to be retained on site. Other modes of delivering the sealing material past the plug and then closing off the plug so it can be launched are contemplated. With the electric line in the coiled tubing, delivering a sealing member through the coiled tubing is challenging but is an alternative mode of operation contemplated by the present invention.

While the present invention has been described by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is pointed out that the embodiments described are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for cementing a liner having a (heel) top end and a (toe) bottom end positioned in an open borehole extending from a wellbore produced by drilling with a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the method comprising: a) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member and a liner wiper plug located at the top of the liner and having an opening therethrough which permits fluid communication between the tubular member and the liner; b) passing a cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to move the cement through the tubular member; c) the cement and cement cleanout fluid forming a cement cleanout fluid/contaminated cement fluid interface material, to a selected distance upstream from the top end of the liner; d) stopping injection before any cement cleanout fluid/contaminated cement enters the liner; e) closing the flow path of fluids down the liner at the top end of the liner at or near the liner wiper plug; discharging the cement and cement contaminated by the cement cleanout fluid remaining in the tubular member above the liner wiper plug into an annular space between an outer surface of the tubular member and an inner surface of the wellbore above the top end of the liner; g) discharging additional cement cleanout fluid from the tubular member to move contaminated cement further up the annulus; h) shutting off flow to the annulus, i) releasing the liner wiper plug; j) resuming flow down the liner by passing fluid through the tubular member to push the liner wiper plug to the toe end of liner; and k) reestablishing flow to the annulus above the top end of the liner so additional fluid passed by the tubular member can fully remove contaminated cement from wellbore.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is an aqueous biopolymer solution.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the biopolymer comprises welan gum.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wiper plug is open during the injection of the cement into the liner.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is in contact with the cement in the tubular member during injection of the cement into the liner.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the cement contaminated with cement cleanout fluid and excess cement are removed from the well by injection of additional cement cleanout fluid.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a tubular member including at least one wire.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular member is a drillpipe having an obstruction in the drillpipe.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the annular space is between the outer surface of the tubular member and an inside surface of a casing or a production tubing located within the wellbore.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the annular space is between the outer surface of the tubular member and an inner surface of a production tubing located within the wellbore.
 11. A method for cementing a liner in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the cement being supplied through the tubular member, the method comprising: a) positioning a liner in the open borehole, the liner extending from a toe end of the liner near a toe end of the open borehole to a deployment sleeve being positioned on a top end of the liner and located within casing or production tubing, the deployment sleeve being adapted to matingly connect to a liner running tool, the liner running tool including an extension having a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension and a liner wiper plug having an opening extending therethrough with the extension extending through the opening, a cover biased to cover the opening when the extension is withdrawn and a releasable retaining apparatus adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected position in the liner; b) positioning the liner running tool in fluid communication with the deployment sleeve; c) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member and the liner running tool in a selected amount greater than required to fill an annular space between an outside of the liner and the inside of the open borehole and to a level above the deployment sleeve; d) injecting a cement cleanout fluid in contact with the cement through the tubular member in an amount sufficient to displace the selected amount of cement into the liner and the annular space outside the liner; e) stopping injection of the cement cleanout fluid prior to injecting cement cleanout fluid through the liner wiper plug, f) removing the liner running tool to a position above the deployment sleeve, g) withdrawing the extension from the liner wiper plug, h) closing the cover and passing additional cement cleanout fluid through the passageway to pass excess cement and cement contaminated with cement cleanout fluid up the wellbore and outside the tubular member; i) retracting the extension to a suitable length to permit positioning the liner running tool in the deployment sleeve and releasing the liner wiper plug; j) injecting additional cement cleanout fluid through the liner running tool to move the liner wiper plug to the toe end of the liner and fill the liner upstream of the liner wiper plug with cement cleanout fluid; and, k) releasing the liner running tool from the deployment sleeve and continuing to inject additional cement cleanout fluid to move contaminated cement up the wellbore outside the tubular member.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the liner wiper plug is released by increasing the pressure above the liner wiper plug.
 13. The method of claim 11 wherein the releasable retaining apparatus is at least one shear pin and wherein the liner wiper plug is released by increasing the pressure above the liner wiper plug and shearing the at least one shear pin.
 14. The method of claim 11 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is an aqueous biopolymer fluid.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the biopolymer comprises welan gum.
 16. The method of claim 11 wherein the liner running tool includes at least one opening in a side or a top of the liner running tool which is adapted to discharge at least one of excess cement and cement contaminated by cement cleanout fluid.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the discharge is controlled by an electronic signal.
 18. An apparatus for cementing a liner in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the apparatus comprising: a liner running tool adapted to be run down the wellbore on the tubular member and including a body configured for mating connection to the liner, the body including an extension having a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension to permit fluid flow through the liner running tool; a liner wiper plug having an opening extending therethrough and adapted to receive the extension of the body extending through the opening on the liner wiper plug, a cover positioned on the liner wiper plug and adapted to cover the opening on the liner wiper plug when the extension of the body is withdrawn from the opening and a releasable retaining apparatus for the liner wiper plug and adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected position in the liner.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the body includes a seal which is adapted to sealingly connect the liner running tool to the liner.
 20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the releasable retaining apparatus comprises at least one shear pin mounted in a fixture adapted to engage a wall of the liner at a selected location and retain the liner wiper plug at the selected location in the liner.
 21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the extension is at least partially retractable into the body.
 22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the liner wiper plug sealingly and slideably engages an inside of the liner.
 23. A method for cementing a liner having a (heel) top end and a (toe) bottom end in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore produced by drilling with a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the tubular member having a discharge end fluidly connected to a passageway in a liner wiper plug positioned within the liner at the top end of the liner such that fluids conveyed by the tubular member may be injected into the liner, the liner wiper plug having a valve operable to discontinue flow through the passageway, the tubular member and the heel end of the liner being located within the wellbore that extends upwardly such that fluids from the well may be conveyed to the earth's surface through the wellbore, the method comprising: a) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member and the liner wiper plug; b) passing a cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to move the cement through the tubular member such that an interface between the cement and the cement cleanout fluid is a selected distance upstream from the toe end of the liner; c) discontinuing fluid communication between the tubular member and both the heel end of the liner and the liner wiper plug and closing the valve on the liner wiper plug positioned in the heel end of the liner; d) passing the cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to discharge the cement above the selected distance and cement contaminated by the cement cleanout fluid from the tubular member up the production tubing; and e) reestablishing fluid communication between the tubular member and the heel end of the liner and passing additional cement cleanout fluid through the tubular member to pass the liner wiper plug through the liner and thereby displace cement from the liner into an annular space outside the liner and an inside surface of the open borehole.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the tubular member and the heel end of the liner are located within casing or production tubing in the wellbore.
 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the tubular member and the heel end of the liner are located within production tubing in the wellbore.
 26. The method of claim 23 wherein the interface is located in the tubular member upstream of the liner wiper plug.
 27. The method of claim 23 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is an aqueous biopolymer solution.
 28. The method of claim 23 wherein the biopolymer comprises welan gum.
 29. The method of claim 23 wherein the valve of the liner wiper plug is open during the injection of the cement into the liner.
 30. The method of claim 23 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is in contact with the cement in the tubular member during injection of the cement into the liner.
 31. The method of claim 23 wherein the cement contaminated with cement cleanout fluid at the interface and excess cement are removed from the well by injection of additional cement cleanout fluid.
 32. The method of claim 23 wherein the tubular member is a tubular member including at least one wire.
 33. The method of claim 23 wherein the tubular member is a coiled tubing having an obstruction comprised of wires.
 34. The method of claim 23 wherein the tubular member is drillpipe having an obstruction therein.
 35. A method for cementing a liner in position in an open borehole extending from a wellbore and produced by drilling using a drilling apparatus including a tubular member having an outside surface and having at least one obstruction in the tubular member, the cement being supplied through the tubular member which is positioned within production tubing having an inside surface and extending upwardly through the wellbore such that fluids from the well may be conveyed to the earth's surface by the production tubing, the method comprising: a) positioning a liner in the open borehole, the liner extending from a toe end of the liner near a toe end of the open borehole to a deployment sleeve positioned on a heel end of the liner and located in the production tubing, the deployment sleeve being adapted to sealingly connect to a liner running tool, the liner running tool including an extension and having a passageway through the liner running tool and the extension, the heel end of the liner having a liner wiper plug with an opening therein extending through the liner wiper plug so that fluids may be conveyed therethrough, the extension of the liner running tool being in fluid communication with and extending through the opening so that fluids conveyed by the tubular member may be conveyed through the passageway and the opening through the liner wiper plug, the liner wiper plug having a cover biased to cover the opening and restrict flow of fluids through the opening when the extension is withdrawn from the opening and a releasable retaining apparatus adapted to releasably retain the liner wiper plug in a selected position in the liner; b) positioning the liner running tool in fluid communication with the deployment sleeve; c) injecting cement into the liner through the tubular member and the liner running tool in a selected amount greater than required to fill an annular space between an outside of the liner and an inside of the open borehole such that cement is at a level within the tubular member above the deployment sleeve; d) injecting a cement cleanout fluid in contact with the cement through the tubular member in an amount sufficient to displace the selected amount of cement into the liner and the annular space outside the liner within the open borehole; e) stopping injection of the cement cleanout fluid prior to injecting cement cleanout fluid through the liner wiper plug, f) removing the liner running tool to a position above the deployment sleeve and sufficient to release the liner running tool from being in fluid communication with the deployment sleeve, thereby withdrawing the extension from the liner wiper plug and closing the cover to the opening of the liner wiper plug; g) passing additional cement cleanout fluid through the passageway to pass excess cement and cement contaminated with cement cleanout fluid up the wellbore within an annulus defined by the outside surface of the tubular member and inside surface of the production tubing; h) retracting the extension to a suitable length to permit repositioning of the liner running tool in the deployment sleeve and reestablishing fluid communication between the liner running tool and the deployment sleeve; i) injecting additional cement cleanout fluid through the liner running tool to move the liner wiper plug to the toe end of the liner and fill the liner upstream of the liner wiper plug with cement cleanout fluid; and, j) releasing the liner running tool from the deployment sleeve and continuing to inject additional cement cleanout fluid to move contaminated cement up the wellbore within the annulus defined by the outside surface of the tubular member and inside surface of the production tubing.
 36. The method of claim 35 wherein the liner wiper plug is released by increasing the pressure in the tubular member above the liner wiper plug.
 37. The method of claim 35 wherein the releasable retaining apparatus is at least one shear pin and wherein the liner wiper plug is released by increasing the pressure in the tubular member above the liner wiper plug and shearing the at least one shear pin.
 38. The method of claim 35 wherein the cement cleanout fluid is an aqueous biopolymer fluid.
 39. The method of claim 35 wherein the biopolymer comprises welan gum.
 40. The method of claim 35 wherein the liner running tool includes at least one opening in a side or a top of the liner running tool which is adapted to discharge at least one of excess cement and cement contaminated by cement cleanout fluid.
 41. The method of claim 35 wherein the discharge is controlled by an electronic signal.
 42. A drilling and completion method for subterranean use, comprising: drilling with a bit supported by coiled tubing having an electric line therein; running in, after said drilling, a bottom hole assembly comprising a string to be sealed and with the same coiled tubing having an electric line therein; sealing said string; pulling out said coiled tubing with the electric line therein.
 43. The method of claim 42, comprising: delivering sealing material through said coiled tubing; sending a plug down the coiled tubing to displace sealing material into an annular space around said string; opening a path from said coiled tubing into a surrounding annulus to said coiled tubing located above said string; removing excess sealing material from the coiled tubing through said opened path.
 44. The method of claim 43, comprising: opening said path by releasing a seal between said coiled tubing and said string.
 45. The method of claim 43, comprising: opening said path by operating a circulation sub connected to said coiled tubing.
 46. The method of claim 42, comprising: providing a wiper plug in said bottom hole assembly selectively secured in said string; delivering sealing material through said plug.
 47. The method of claim 46, comprising: providing at least one closure in said plug in an open position for delivering sealing material.
 48. The method of claim 47, comprising: holding said closure in an open position with a stinger through which said sealing material is delivered.
 49. The method of claim 48, comprising: retracting said stinger from said plug to operate said closure to a closed position.
 50. The method of claim 49, comprising: using a flapper as said closure; providing at least two closures as said at least one closer both of which are flapper valves.
 51. The method of claim 49, comprising: lifting a bottom hole assembly seal out of said string with said retracting said stinger.
 52. The method of claim 51, comprising: pumping fluid through said stinger to exit above said pug with said closure in a closed position to remove excess sealing material from said coiled tubing.
 53. The method of claim 52, comprising: releasing said plug after said removal of excess sealing material.
 54. The method of claim 53, comprising: releasing said plug by landing said stinger on said closure.
 55. The method of claim 53, comprising: releasing said plug by reinserting said bottom hole assembly seal in said string and building pressure in said coiled tubing.
 56. The method of claim 53, comprising: breaking a shear pin to release said plug.
 57. The method of claim 56, comprising: using a flapper as said closure; providing at least two closures as said at least one closer both of which are flapper valves.
 58. The method of claim 53, comprising: selectively securing said stinger to a housing; releasing said stinger to move relatively to said housing when releasing said plug.
 59. The method of claim 53, comprising: driving said plug with pressure after said release to displace sealing material from said string with said closure in said plug in a closed position.
 60. The method of claim 59, comprising: supporting said plug with a sleeve made of a soft material; removing said bottom hole assembly after driving said plug; milling out said supporting sleeve for said plug. 